Public servants can now retain their benefits if they contest general elections

Parliament has paved the way for public sector workers in St Vincent and the Grenadines to offer themselves as election candidates without the repercussions of loss of their jobs or pension benefits.

This was made possible with the passing of an Amendment to the Representation of the People Act which was debated and passed in Parliament on Tuesday, October 29,2024. The Amendment Bill was tabled in Parliament by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves.

During the first reading of the amendment, Dr Gonsalves outlined that the changes to the existing Law allow holders of offices prescribed to contest elections under prescribed conditions.

The prime minister explained that “ the principle behind this Bill has had a gestation period since Independence.”

Leading off the debate on Tuesday, Dr Gonsalves reflected that “at the time of Independence, it was argued… that inasmuch as the teaching profession, the police, the public service, the medical and nursing profession…since within these professions that you have a number of persons who may be persons worthy to offer themselves, as representatives, as candidates to be representatives; there ought not to be an imposition on these persons who are public officers to resign.”

He went on further to state that if such officers contest an election and lose, it “would be unfair for them not to have an opportunity legally, to get back their jobs”.

The Prime Minister mentioned the names of former Parliamentarians on both sides of the House who were negatively affected by the original Law.

He said once they contested the elections “ they got no benefits.”

Mention was made of such persons as Alphonzo Dennie, Selmon Walters, Girlyn Miguel, Clayton Burgin, Montgomery Daniel, and the more recent case of the three unsuccessful NDP candidates in the 2010 general elections, Elvis Daniel, Ken Johnson and Edison ‘Baksh’ Thomas.

The Prime Minister also made mention of current New Democratic Party (NDP) Senator, Shevern John, Terrance Ollivierre, Parliamentary Representative for the Southern

Grenadines, and former North Leeward representative Roland “Patel” Matthews.

The Prime Minister expressed disappointment with the leaders of public sector unions in St Vincent and the Grenadines over their seeming indifference to the Bill.

He named the Public Service Union and the SVG Teachers Union, and chided them “for their failure or refusal to comment on this Bill, which was published in the newspapers, and was online”.

Dr Gonsalves added that none of the union leaders even asked to be part of the Select Committee on the Bill.

Contributing to debate, on the amendment, Opposition Leader, Dr Godwin Friday stated that there are persons on the government’s side now “who may benefit from the changes that are taking place here in the present Parliament”.

Reflecting on the suffering of past candidates,

Dr Friday reminded the House that “sometimes justice delayed is justice denied”.

He supported the legislation and added that it should have been in place a long time ago.

He suggested that the right time to have passed this legislation was in 2010, when it was really necessary.

However, the Opposition Leader admitted on Tuesday that “the effect of the delay is bitter sweet”.